Swedish Workers Research Articles

Divergent welfare regimes, shared challenges: exploring the subjectivities of home-based eldercare workers in Sweden and Türkiye

This article investigates the subjectivities of home-based eldercare workers in the context of the organization of care and the neoliberal transformation of welfare regimes in Sweden and Türkiye. Through a thematic analysis of interviews, two main findings emerge: first, despite differing welfare regimes, the subjectivities of home-based eldercare workers in both Türkiye and Sweden converge due to neoliberal transformations driven by marketization trends in the organization of care; and, second, complex and intersecting power dynamics, including race, gender, and migration status, exacerbate the vulnerability of eldercare workers to sexual harassment stemming from dehumanization and objectification.

Promoting a sustainable diet among office workers in Sweden: A pilot Study

Abstract Background Society is facing multiple challenges, including lifestyle-related diseases, alongside global climate change. Actions are needed to promote sustainable lifestyles advocating for healthy and environmentally friendly diets. This study aimed to assess how a sustainable lifestyle, compared to conventional healthy lifestyle education at work, affects participants’ energy intake, nutrient consumption, and diet-related CO2e. Methods An 8 week two-armed randomized trial was conducted, comprising a sustainable lifestyle arm (n = 21) and a healthy lifestyle arm (n = 16) based on the theoretical framework of the Behavioral Change Wheel, in total (n = 33) completed the trial. The office workers participated in 6 workshops during working hours. Linear mixed-effects models and analysis of variance tests were used for data analysis. Changes over time are presented as arms combined, along with their respective mean differences. Results A significant decrease in mean diet-related CO2e was observed (p < 0.001), with a decrease on average of 0.74 and 0.71 kg CO2e/day. The mean change in daily kilocalorie intake had a significant decrease over time (p = 0.008), on average of 192 and 386 Kcal. Moreover, a significant decrease in mean protein intake was observed (p < 0.001), with a decrease on average of 16 and 18 grams, possibly explaining the decrease in CO2e. No significant differences were observed between the arms at any timepoint. Conclusions Promoting sustainable lifestyle habits has a similar impact to advocating for a conventional healthy lifestyle regarding diet. This supports the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023. Despite the small sample size, insights into facilitating sustainable behaviors can influence public health policies across Europe and the workplace as an arena for health promotion. Key messages • The promotion of sustainable and healthy lifestyle habits at work can promote both individual and planetary health by decreasing diet-related CO2e emissions. • Here we demonstrate that the workplace has the potential to act as an arena to combat climate change.

Do job demands and resources differ between permanent and temporary eldercare workers in Sweden?

Eldercare organizations face high sickness absence rates and staff turnover and rely heavily on temporary workers to fill staffing gaps. Temporary workers may experience differences in job demands and resources compared with permanent workers, but this has been largely understudied. To compare perceived job demands and resources between permanent and temporary Swedish eldercare workers. Permanent and temporary eldercare workers in a Swedish municipality were invited to answer a digital survey on work environment conditions. Differences between permanent and temporary workers in job demands and resources were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance adjusted for age, sex, place of birth, and percent of full-time work and univariate analyses were conducted to consider differences in specific factors. A total of 1076 permanent and 675 temporary workers received the survey, and the final study sample included 451 permanent and 151 temporary workers. Multivariate analyses revealed that temporary workers reported statistically significant lower job demands compared to permanent workers, but no statistically significant differences in resources were found between the groups. Univariate analyses showed that temporary workers reported lower quantitative demands, perceived exertion, and time spent bending forward, than permanent workers. These data suggest comparable support across groups, but a higher workload among permanent workers. Our findings indicate that temporary workers experienced lower job demands than permanent workers, but that no notable difference was found in resources. Interventions aimed at distributing job demands more evenly among eldercare workers with different employment forms may be necessary.

Efficacy and Effectiveness Research on Interventions in Sweden Between 1990 and 2019

Purpose: This article investigates the extent of effectiveness studies of behavioral, psychological, and social interventions aiming for measurable changes at the individual level in Sweden 1990–2019. Methods: The data stems from a retrospective analysis of published literature on effect studies between 1990 and 2019. Results: The results show an increase in published articles reporting on effect studies in Sweden the past 30 years, accelerating the past 10 years. However, only 25% of the studies focuses on core social work practices and only certain target groups and areas, especially children and elderly, are covered. Of these studies, only 4% are conducted by social work scholars. Conclusions: Effect studies still holds a weak position in Swedish social work research, despite of processes of professionalization and academization with national efforts to promote knowledge production for practice. This is discussed in relation to competence, opportunity, and motivation in Swedish social work and beyond.

Navigating suicidality: swedish social workers’ approaches to identifying and supporting suicidal clients

ABSTRACT This study examines how Swedish social workers across various social work agencies identify and support suicidal clients. Thematic analysis of interviews with seven social workers reveals a reliance on strong client relationships and past experiences with suicidal clients. The social workers consistently assess severity of suicidal intent in clients. Despite variations in roles, social workers generally express comfort in dealing with suicidal clients by using intuition, discretion and professional and organizational logics to support suicidal clients in personalized ways. The exercise of professional discretion and interventions varies based on roles, work conditions, and relationships with suicidal clients. Notably, social workers in addiction recovery outpatient care exhibit a high degree of discretionary power, while youth treatment workers in residential care units prioritize continuity of care, involving psychiatry when needed. Case workers often view psychiatry as responsible for decisions about suicidal clients and routinely refer them to psychiatric care.

Divergent welfare regimes, shared challenges: exploring the subjectivities of home-based eldercare workers in Sweden and Türkiye

Divergent welfare regimes, shared challenges: exploring the subjectivities of home-based eldercare workers in Sweden and Türkiye

Child welfare workers’ understanding of young people’s sexual health when conducting assessments due to substance use problems

Young people with substance use problems often have an early sexual debut, an increased risk of sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancies, and a high risk of experiencing sexual violence. At the same time, according to the national action plan on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), the social services in Sweden have an important role in addressing sexual health in various contexts, such as in child welfare investigations. Therefore, this study has investigated how Swedish child welfare workers understand and relate to sexual health issues in child welfare investigations regarding young people with substance use problems. Following a strategic sampling, 15 child welfare workers were interviewed. The interviews were examined with a thematic content analysis with results showing that sexual health issues represented an area where knowledge was lacking. This was largely connected to that the child welfare workers had not been taught about SRHR in their bachelor’s degree nor in their continued education within the child welfare system. As a result of this, they often developed their own individual, professional approach for assessing sexual health matters, guided by the principle of “not investigating more than necessary”. When addressing sexual health in their assessment work, the child welfare workers primarily focused on risk, vulnerability and exposure. Not assessing young peoples’ sexual health was seen as protecting the right to confidentiality and privacy. In summary, this meant that young people with a problematic substance use were seldom given opportunities to talk about their sexual health, and especially not about positive sexual experiences related to their substance use.

Impact of work-life interference on burnout and job discontent: A one-year follow-up study of physicians in Sweden.

In recent years, increased physician workload has led to higher levels of interference between work and private life with increasing stress and job discontent. The objective of this paper was to study if the experience of work-life interference (WLI) is associated with a high risk of burnout and discontent with work (turnover intention and job dissatisfaction) the following year among physicians in Sweden. The study applied data for 2021 and 2022 from the Longitudinal Occupational Health survey for Health Care professionals in Sweden study. The data comprised a representative sample of physicians (N=1575) working in Sweden. Descriptive analyses included frequencies and estimates of prevalence with Chi-square and McNemar tests. Analyses of association were assessed through logistic regression reporting odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) adjusting for demographics and work-related factors. Higher levels of WLI in 2021 were associated with 1.53 (95% CI 1.05-2.25) times higher odds of reporting a high risk of burnout, 2.06 (95% CI 1.68-2.54) times higher odds of reporting job dissatisfaction, and 1.72 (95% CI 1.47-2.00) times higher odds of reporting turnover intention in 2022. Experiencing WLI negatively affects mental well-being and work satisfaction among physicians in Sweden. This could ultimately impact the quality of care and necessitates further research to clarify the role of WLI among healthcare workers in Sweden.

Primary healthcare in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative interview study in Sweden

ObjectiveTo explore how primary healthcare workers in Sweden experienced and perceived the long-term impact of the pandemic on their work.DesignThis is a descriptive qualitative study with individual semistructured interviews conducted...

Perceptions of mental health, suicide and working conditions in the construction industry-A qualitative study.

The aim of the study was to explore perceptions of mental ill health, suicidal behaviour and working conditions among male construction workers, in order to gain an in-depth understanding of these phenomenon and to identify relevant avenues for workplace interventions. Data were collected in individual and group interviews, and 43 individuals from the Swedish construction industry, workers, union representative and managers, participated in the study. Inductive thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Five main themes were found: Difficult to talk about mental health, Demanding working environment affects mental health, Substance abuse among construction workers, Importance of management, and Need for routines and social support in the workplace. Many participants reported that there was a stigma related to mental health. Suicides that had occurred among colleagues were perceived to come out of the blue. The working environment in the construction industry was perceived to have a negative effect on mental health, and it was reported that the management played an important role in both the cause and prevention of mental health problems. The results from this Swedish study are in accordance with previous international research regarding a macho culture, stigma of mental health and a demanding working environment in the construction industry. The study adds to existing knowledge by highlighting that suicides were perceived to be very unexpected, that poor physical health affected mental health and that many participants did not know how to deal with mental health issues in the workplace.

Changes in Sleep Quality, Sleep Duration, and Sickness Absence: A Longitudinal Study with Repeated Measures.

Sickness absence has been linked to short and long, as well as poor, sleep in a few studies. Such studies have started from a baseline measurement and followed up on subsequent sickness absence. In the present study, however, we focused on the change in biennial reports of sickness absence and sleep measures (using work-related variables as possible modifiers). We also searched for an interaction between predictors and gender since women report more sleep problems. A total of 5377 individuals (random sample from the Swedish working population) participated across five biennial points of measurement. Data were analyzed using mixed-model logistic regression. The multivariable analysis of variation across the five time points showed that the significant sleep-related predictors of sickness absence (at least one occurrence during the preceding year) were sleep duration during days off (OR = 1.16, 95% Cl = 1.08;1.24) and sleep problems (OR = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.33;1.51). These also remained significant after the addition of psychosocial work factors. Sensitivity analyses indicated that a 9 h sleep duration during days off may represent a critical level in terms of increased sickness absence and that late rising contributed to the association between sickness absence and long sleep duration during days off. Women reported a higher sickness absence than men (OR = 2.16, 95% CI = 1.74;2.68) and had a higher probability of sickness absence for long sleep during days off and during the workweek than men. It was concluded that increases in sleep problems and sleep duration during days off are longitudinally associated with changes in sickness absence and that women have a closer link between the two. This suggests that treatment for sleep problems may reduce the risk of sickness absence.

Collecting the Andrée expedition

The article investigates the circulation of objects from the Salomon A. Andrée expedition (1897), examining the reproduction and recontextualization of written records in four Swedish works: Med Örnen mot polen (1930), Per Olof Sundman’s documentary novel Ingenjör Andrées luftfärd (1967), and his compilation Ingen fruktan, inget hopp (1968), and Bea Uusma’s Expeditionen (2013). The article approaches these writings through the prism of collecting, exhibiting, and curating, as part of the extended archive of the Andrée expedition, and argues for an understanding of books as important in circulating objects to a reading audience in ways that shape the expedition’s afterlife.

Cancer incidence in Swedish oil refinery workers exposed to benzene

BackgroundOil refinery workers are exposed to benzene, which is a well-known cause of leukaemia, but results on leukaemia in oil refinery workers have been mixed, and the data on workers’ exposure is limited. Oil refinery workers are also exposed to asbestos and several studies have shown increased risk of mesothelioma. AimThe objective was to investigate cancer incidence, especially leukaemia, at low to moderate exposure to benzene in an update of a previous study of employees at three Swedish oil refineries. MethodsCancer incidence was followed up in 2264 men (1548 refinery operators) employed at three oil refineries in Sweden for at least one year. Job types and employment times were collected from complete company files. A retrospective assessment of the benzene exposure was performed by occupational hygienists in collaboration with the refineries using historic measurements as well as detailed information on changes in the industrial hygiene and technological developments. Cases of cancer were retrieved by a linkage with the Swedish Cancer Register through 35–47 years of follow-up and standardized incidence ratios (SIR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. ResultsIn total, 258 tumors had occurred versus 240 expected (SIR 1.07; 95% CI 0.95–1.21). There were 10 cases of leukaemia, all in refinery operators (SIR 2.4; 95% CI 1.18–4.51). There were three cases of pleural mesothelioma, two of which in refinery operators. The mean estimated cumulative benzene exposure for the cases of leukaemia was 7.9 ppm-years (median 4.9, range 0.1–31.1). DiscussionThe study suggests that low to moderate average cumulative benzene exposure increases the risk of leukaemia. Limitations include the modest number of cases and potential misclassification of exposure. ConclusionThe present study indicated an increased risk of leukaemia in male oil refinery workers with low to moderate exposure to benzene.

Powerful and Vulnerable: Workplace Violence Against Swedish Social Workers, Teachers, and Journalists

This article compares Swedish social workers, teachers, and journalists’ experiences of workplace violence. It addresses similarities and differences between the three professional groups in terms of who exposed them to workplace violence, what it was about, and what triggered it. The article is based on an online survey study, and the findings suggest that consumer-related violence from target groups was the most common among all three professional groups. Looking at worker-on-worker relationship violence, the teachers were the most exposed, followed by social workers and journalists, and such violence suggests bullying in the workplace. Most respondents stated that the hate, threats, and harassment were about their professional competence. While all of these professional groups have a position of power in society, they also perceive that it is often in the situations in which they exercise their power (e.g., making a decision for social workers and teachers or when journalists publish) that they become targets for workplace violence.

The role of job strain in the relationship between depression and long-term sickness absence: a register-based cohort study

PurposeThough individuals with depression and those with poor working conditions are more likely to be on long-term sickness absence (LTSA), less is known about how working conditions may modify the associations between depression status and LTSA. This study aims to examine the association between depression and LTSA among Swedish workers with different levels of job strain and its individual components (job demands and job control).MethodsAll Swedish workers 30 − 60 years old (N = 3,065,258) were studied in 2005. At baseline (2005–2010), workers were categorized as: without depression, being prescribed antidepressants, and being in inpatient/outpatient care. Job strain was measured using a Swedish Job Exposure Matrix, and data on LTSA were obtained from 2011 to 2021. The association between depression and LTSA was assessed using Cox proportional-hazards regression stratified by categories of job strain.ResultsCompared to workers without depression, workers with depression had higher risk of LTSA across all job strain levels. Depression was associated with the highest hazards of LTSA in active jobs, but a similar population attributable fraction (PAF) was found across categories of job strain, indicating similarities between the different categories.ConclusionThere was evidence of a moderating effect of job strain in the relationship between depression and LTSA, but also evidence that this was due to differences in baseline depression prevalence in the different job strain categories. Future research is needed to determine alternative factors which could be relevant for reducing LTSA among those who have already developed depression.

Exposure to workplace sexual harassment and risk of cardiometabolic disease: a prospective cohort study of 88 904 Swedish men and women.

Exposure to work-related sexual harassment may increase the risk for certain adverse behavioural and emotional outcomes but less is known about its association with somatic diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes. This study investigated the prospective association of work-related sexual harassment and risk of cardiometabolic diseases. This cohort study included 88 904 Swedish men and women in paid work who responded to questions on workplace sexual harassment in the Swedish Work Environment Survey (1995-2015) and were free from cardiometabolic diseases at baseline. Cardiometabolic diseases (CVD and type 2 diabetes) were identified from the National Patient Register and Causes of Death Register through linkage. Cox proportional hazard regression was used, adjusting for socio-demographic, work-related psychosocial, and physical exposure at baseline. Overall, 4.8% of the participants (n = 4300) reported exposure to workplace sexual harassment during the previous 12 months. After adjustment for sex, birth country, family situation, education, income, and work-related factors, workplace sexual harassment was associated with increased incidence of CVD [hazard ratio (HR) 1.25, 95% confidence interval 1.03-1.51] and type 2 diabetes (1.45, 1.21-1.73). The HR for CVD (1.57, 1.15-2.15) and type 2 diabetes (1.85, 1.39-2.46) was increased for sexual harassment from superior or fellow workers, and sexual harassment from others was associated with type 2 diabetes (1.39, 1.13-1.70). The HR for both CVD (1.31, 0.95-1.81) and type 2 diabetes (1.72, 1.30-2.28) was increased for frequent exposure. The results of this study support the hypothesis that workplace sexual harassment is prospectively associated with cardiometabolic diseases. Future research is warranted to understand causality and mechanisms behind these associations.

From the Recognition of ‘Psychiatric Disorder Caused by Asbestos Exposure’ to the Mobilisation of Dignity in Labour Law: A Comparison of France and Sweden

Abstract In two rulings on 8 February 2023, the French Court of Cassation invoked the notion of ‘dignity’ in labour law to support claims for ‘damage due to anxiety’ (‘préjudice d’anxiété’). The concept of ‘damage due to anxiety’, which might in English be translated more functionally as ‘psychiatric disorder caused by asbestos exposure’, is based on loss arising from the fear of developing a future disease due to occupational exposure to a toxic and hazardous substance, such as asbestos. Based on a reading of these two cases, the aim of this article is to analyse the approach developed in the French legal system, and to discuss it from the standpoint of Swedish law. The concept of ‘psychiatric disorder caused by asbestos exposure’ is not currently recognised in Swedish law. However, the idea that physical work environment factors can cause psychological injury is not entirely unfamiliar. It touches upon the ideas of a holistic approach to the work environment and a broad and inclusive concept of health and illness, which are important foundations for Swedish work environment law. By studying this specific occupational health and safety issue it is possible to illuminate not only how this topical and important issue is regulated in France and Sweden, but also on a broader level how these two legal systems—the French one based on the individual responsibility of the employer and the Swedish one on collective bargaining—are functioning when it comes to systems of prevention of and compensation for ill health.

Social workers’ knowledge about children’s memory and child interviewing

BackgroundThe Child Protective Services (CPS) can be prominent actors in child abuse investigations as they often conduct the first safety assessment upon receiving a report of concern for a child. As part of this assessment, CPS may conduct an interview with the child. However, to date, little is known about how these interviews are conducted. ObjectiveThe present study aimed to shed light on Swedish social workers’ experience with interviewing children and knowledge about children’s memory and witness abilities. Participants and SettingA total of 204 social workers participated in an online survey and answered questions concerning memory functioning and interviewing children about suspected abuse. MethodsResponses were analyzed using qualitative (content analyses) and quantitative (descriptive) approaches. ResultsThe main findings concern a lack of standardized interviewing guidelines, with CPS workers instead using various interviewing techniques with limited empirical support. When asked to elaborate on the challenges they perceived interviewing children, many mentioned the difficulty of asking proper questions. A few expressed feeling unequipped for the task of interviewing children. Further, participants' knowledge regarding children's memory varied. Many expressed awareness that memories can be vulnerable to suggestion and that emotions cannot verify a memory's authenticity. However, participants were more insecure regarding the possibility of repressing and, subsequently, recovering memories. ConclusionsImprovement is required; CPS needs further education and support when conducting interviews with children regarding suspected abuse. Implementing a research-based method can facilitate these interviews and improve children’s right to be heard and legal certainty.

Occupational particle exposure and chronic kidney disease: a cohort study in Swedish construction workers

ObjectivesIncreasing epidemiological and experimental evidence suggests that particle exposure is an environmental risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, only a few case–control studies have investigated this association in...

Kompletterande, kompenserande och komplicerande

Complementing, compensating and complicating – informal organisation in Swedish child fare work The child welfare work within the Swedish personal social services (PSS) is clearly marked by formalisation and specialisation. It is guided by a diversity of national and local guidelines, while different units assume responsibility for specific tasks (e.g., intake, investigation and decision, or care and treatment). A risk of service fragmentation has been identified as a substantial downside to these organisational settings. However, prior research has mainly focused on formal organisational structures and how work is ‘supposed to’ be carried out. Less attention is paid to informal organisation, namely how work is ‘actually performed’ on day-to-day basis, which has been identified as an important but often overlooked aspect for understanding organisational performance. Therefore, the aim was to describe and analyse the influence of informal organisation in child welfare cases. Non-participating observations and group interviews were conducted in 11 Swedish municipalities. The findings show that informal organisation can ‘grease the wheels’ in child welfare cases: firstly, by complementing formal structures and offering alternative channels for collaboration and information exchange; and secondly, by compensating for gaps in areas of responsibility within the formal organisation, such as when staff offer informal care and support, even though their work is supposed to specifically focus on investigation and decision making, or individual social workers assume an informal case management role. Nevertheless, informal organisation was also found to complicate work, as unregulated and informal areas of work also allow the conflicting interests and work logics among different units and their staff to unfold. The findings are finally discussed in relation to the future organisation of social services.